The Street Business School by SI4DEV is a six Months mobile business training, designed to serve the unique needs of individuals living in poverty by enabling them to be agent of change, supporting them to start sustainable business ventures such that they can have a reliable income stream long into the future. The street business school is a mobile business classroom with trainings held in the local communities. It is a LOVE + Business model that seek to bring marginalized people around the planet into self- sufficiency.
The Street business school started in Uganda by the beadforlife, a non- profit organization that are on the mission to end extreme poverty, the street business school program is now implemented in 14 counties in Africa, SI4DEV is the first organization implementing the Street business school in Nigeria. SI4DEV Operations manager Patricia Okolo and SI4DEV Kano location group coordinator, Babatunde Ibikunle, Attended the Street Business School immersion workshop( Train the trainers workshop), Uganda, where they learned how to deliver the Street Business School curriculum, and how to implement the program in Nigeria. After the immersion workshop, they were able to train 14 assistant coaches in Bayelsa, Abuja, Lagos and kano states.
The Street business school by SI4DEV started in August, 2019, with the recruitment and selection process, and was delivered in 6 communities in Nigeria. 96 people enrolled for the program in Bayelsa state(Yenegwe community ), Abuja(Orozo and Lugbe Sauka Kahuta community), Kano state( Sabon gari 1 and Sabon gari 2) and Lagos state(Ikotun Community).
The Street business school mobile classroom meet members in their communities and give them the necessary skills and confidence they need to build a sustainable business.
The Street business school curriculum suits everyone even for those with little or no formal education, it is divided into 3 stages.
- The selection/ recruitment process
At this stage we select communities and participants that best suits our program and who can take advantage of Street Business school unique model.
- Business Content
At this stage, it is a practical hands on training, it is divided into 8 modules which are:
- Coming out of your comfort zone
- Business opportunity identification
- Finding capital and starting small
- Recordkeeping/Bookkeping
- Market research
- Business planning
- Growing your customer base
- Money management
After the first, coming out from your comfort zone, 80 percent of members improved on their businesses, those without businesses started a new one. Hear from some of our members.
“ Before the class, I was ashamed to hawk Soyabean cake (AWARA), but after the class I came out of my comfort zone and started Hawking my Soyabean Cake, now I make 2000 Naira on a daily basis, and I am able to save 1300 daily,” Victoria from Orozo community, Abuja.
“The Recordkeeping, Market survey, and growing your customer’s base module improved my welding material business, my customer base has increased,” Rifkatu reported, from Sabon Gari 2 Community, Kano state.
“ I put all what I was taught into practice, this improved my business, I bought additional three sewing machine to my business, one industrial machine and two butterfly machine, I now have six machines with more apprentices in my shop,” said Marian from Yenegwe Community, Bayelsa state.
Mark from Yenegwe, Community, Bayelsa state added that he came out of his comfort zone in the course of the Street business school training. He said, “I was able to rebrand my products (Oma shoes), take risks and above all advertise.”
Taiwo Odusanya from sabon Gari 1 community, Kano state was full of gratitude. “Before the street business school classes, I was so shy, I cannot even advertise my products, I sell soft drinks, in the course of the training I came out of my comfort zone and started advertising my products. My business improved, instead of the one crate of soft drinks I sell on a daily basis, I now sell 10 crates on a daily basis, I am currently learning how to make snacks, I want to add snacks to my business.”
“Before the training, I had no business, during the business opportunity identification, I came up with Jewelry production and marketing business” gushed Aminat from Sabon Gari 1 community.
“I sew dresses, when I put all what I was taught into practice I was able to add another business into the existing one, I now make lunch bags. In a week I make about 5000 naira, I am able to save 3000 naira, on a weekly basis.” Nafisat from Orozo community
“The Street business school taught me how to come out of my comfort zone, I started selling Egusi, at my house because I don’t have a shop, Street business school coaches taught me how to save.” – Margret Bulus from Lugbe Sauka Kahuta community
“I learned how to repackage my business, this have increased my customer base, I also learned how to keep records of my business, now I know much comes in and goes out. My income increased from 10,000 naira to 95,000 naira, I also started “kunu” business, now I have two businesses” – Bridget Ogboi from Orozo community.
- The relationship development
At this stage, we create a foundation of trust between trainers and participants to overcome the disenfranchisement of the poor and allowing them to claim their brilliance, sense of self, and right to succeed. Our coaches visits participants, three times in the course of the workshop to have one on one coaching with them. They visit before the commencement of the workshop (Baseline coaching visit), halfway in the workshop (Mid- coaching visit) and at the end of the workshop (Exit coaching visit).